The Coal Dust Gang from Cumberland is releasing its debut EP “Dodgy Country” on all streaming platforms Friday, Jan. 27. The album consists of four boot stompin’, honky tonkin’ tracks that will appeal to music fans of all genres. A sneak peek of the album is available at https://coaldustgang.bandcamp.com.
An old coal mining town, Cumberland is commonly referred to as “Dodge” by those who grew up there. Until recently, the village had a reputation of being a rough and rowdy place that was full of outlaws. “Dodgy Country” pays respect to those outlaws and the rugged way of life that still exists on rural Vancouver Island.
The Coal Dust Gang is led by former evangelical preacher “Chainsaw” Amos Mercier, who left the faith and spent a decade hitchhiking back and forth across the continent with his guitar and notepad. A countrified poet and songwriter, his songs are born from the marriage of the blood moon and the open highway.
The rest of the band consists of a gang of locals who share a passion for good country music. Adam Casey (drums) recently moved to the Island from Calgary where he was a regular on the scene and performed with some of Canada’s hottest upcoming country stars. Tereza Tomek (upright bass) has spent a decade touring as a solo artist and playing bass for a variety of bands with styles ranging from bluegrass to cumbia. Chad Pabianek (guitar) honed his chops in Flin Flon, MB and is now a sought-after session player who has played with many Vancouver Island bands including Sarah Osborne, Jozy, and Ryder Bachman.
Since playing their first show at an underground party to a bunch of law-breakers for the winter solstice in 2021, the Coal Dust Gang has formed a loyal following and been selling out local shows. In 2022, they performed at the Filberg Festival (Comox), Outhouse Festival (Pender Island), Quadrapalooza (Quadra Island), FarmFest (Jordan River), Foggy Mountain Fall Fair (Cumberland), and the Woodstove Music & Arts Festival (Cumberland).